The Quest for the Sun
by WhymustREALITY
Summary: Apollo is missing and a quest is launched to save him. Katie Gardner and Travis Stoll volunteer to help, along with two Hunters of Artemis. Will they put their past behind them and become friends? Or maybe even a little more? Read on to find out ;)
1. Unbeatable

Travis surveyed the woods, watching for any sign of the enemy. He sighed. He hated being on defense. He would much rather be sneaking around on enemy territory, ambushing the unsuspecting defenders, engaging in intense combat, snatching up the flag, dodging arrows as he ran with it, hearing the cheers of his teammates as he sprinted across the boundary line-

_ Oof._ His daydream was interrupted when an arrow shot out of the trees and a silvery cord raced around his ankles, knocking him to the ground.

"Men. So weak." a female voice scoffed. A girl about sixteen knelt and flicked his ear tauntingly. He tried to get up, but she kicked him hard in the side with her combat boot and he fell back into the dirt.

"Oh no you don't," She proceeded to tie up his hands and then turned to her companions. "Well, this one won't be causing anymore trouble. C'mon girls."

Travis cursed as the four hunters zipped past him and plucked the flag from its perch. He yelled for Beckendorf, but it was too late. The hunters leaped across the boundary line, whooping and cheering. The game was over.

And the hunters had won. Again.

Travis sulked through the rest of the night. He couldn't help but blame himself for their loss in capture the flag. If he had just been paying closer attention...

The rest of the camp was in a gloomy mood too. The hunters didn't visit very often, and the campers had been sure that _this_ time they would finally be victorious.

Everyone gathered around the campfire to warm up and sing a few songs. They sang half-heartedly, still grim from their loss. The halfbloods' unenthusiasum affected the flame so that it glowed a sickly yellow. The bag of marshmallows meant for s'mores lay untouched.

Eventually, Chiron dismissed the downcast group of campers to their cabins to get some sleep. As Travis trudged through the fall leaves, a tiny hand slipped into his. He looked down into the huge, saphire-blue eyes of his five-year-old sister, Sophie.

"Travis, why are you sad?" she asked innocently.

He smiled. "Sad? What are you talking about? I'm not sad."

"Yes you are."

He knelt and zipped up her jacket. "You're gonna get sick." he said, changing the subject.

Sophie sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Don't _you_ get all sad on me." Travis scolded. A small smile played on her lips, but she quickly masked it with a scowl.

"Alright then. I guess I'm gonna have to tickle you." He scooped her up, careful not to drop her as she squirmed and squealed happily.

"Tra-Travis!" she gasped between giggles. "Stop! Travis!"

"What was that? I didn't hear you." he mocked. Sophie laughed.

"Oh! You want me to stop tickling you?" Travis stopped and shifted her weight so that he could carry her more comfortably. She sighed and buried her face in his shoulder.

"I love you, Travis." she whispered.

"I love you too, Soph."

Katie Gardner and her sister had been watching a few feet away, and Travis was sure he had seen her smile.

He carried Sophie the rest of the way to the Hermes cabin and plopped her down on her bed. She could barely stay awake while he dressed her in her tiny Tinkerbell pajamas.

"Goodnight, Sophie." Travis began to climb the ladder of the bunk he shared with Connor.

"Travis..." Sophie yawned.

"Yeah?"

"Can you tell me a bedtime story?"

Travis sighed, climbed back down the ladder and sat next to her on the bed.

"So," he began. "There once was this girl named Little Red Riding Hood-"

"Travis, you told me that one_ last _night." Sophie complained.

"Mmm...have I told you about Hansel and Gretel?" Sophie nodded.

"Pinocchio?"

"Yes Travis!"

Travis frowned and tried to think of a story he hadn't told her yet. "Rapunzel?"

Sophie's eyes widened and she grinned. "Yeah! Tell me about Rapunzel!"

"So there was this girl with _really_ long hair."

"Longer than mine?"

"Yes, longer than yours. This girl's name was Rapunzel. And Rapunzel's evil...aunt? Stepmother?" he shook his head. "This evil _lady_ had Rapunzel locked up in this tower. And the only way in and out of the tower was to climb Rapunzel's hair."

"It was _that _long?" Sophie marveled. Travis nodded.

"_Anyways,_ Rapunzel hated living in the tower. She wanted to go outside and explore. But the evil lady wouldn't let her, because she wanted Rapunzel for herself."

"What did the lady need Rapunzel for?"

"Well, Rapunzel's hair was magical. It kept the evil lady young forever." he smiled as Sophie's eyelids fluttered.

"But one day a handsome young prince found the tower, and Rapunzel let him climb up her hair, and..." Travis stopped. Sophie was passed out at the foot of the bed. Travis hauled her up to her pillow and tucked her in.

"Alright, light's out." Travis announced to his siblings. They obediently climbed under their covers, and he flipped off the switch.

Travis collasped heavily on his bed, which earned him an angry moan from Connor below. Travis bounced on the mattress for good measure, and eventually fell asleep.


	2. Into the Darkness

_Poke._

Travis rolled over and continued sleeping.

_Poke._

Groaning, he reluctantly opened his eyes, only to find himself face-to-face with Sophie. She poked him again.

"Yes?" he asked wearily.

"It's time to get up."

He looked around. The cabin was still dark, and everyone else was sleeping. "No it's not, Soph. Go back to bed."

She squeezed her stuffed turtle, Flippers, to her chest and frowned at him. "It's morning, Travis." she insisted.

"Soph, it's still nighttime. Look." he pressed the light button on his watch and stared at the numbers. It read nine o'clock a.m. That couldn't be right. He leaned over the bunk and checked Connor's alarm clock. Sure enough, it read nine o'clock in the morning.

Suddenly, Travis was confused. He climbed down the ladder and quickly dressed in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.

He looked at Sophie. "You coming?" She nodded and took his hand. Then they quietly slipped out the cabin door, careful not to wake the others, and headed towards the Big House.

Travis wasn't surprised to find that he and Sophie weren't the first ones there. Charles Beckendorf, Silena Beaureguard, Clarisse La'Rue, Katie Gardner, Micheal Yew, Will Solace, Lee Fletcher, and two hunters were all seated around the ping pong table, showering a weary Chiron with frantic questions.

"Quiet!" Chiron pleaded. "QUIET!"

Silence filled the room. Chiron nodded to an empty chair next to one of the hunters. Travis recognized her. She was the one who had taken him down in capture the flag the night before.

"Sit, Travis." Chiron said firmly. Travis obeyed, pulling Sophie into his lap.

"Let us begin," Chiron started. "Obviously, the sun is absent-"

"It's Apollo." a voice interrupted. They all turned to look at the hunter called El. She tucked a strand of her long blonde hair behind her ear. "Something has happened to him."

"How do _you_ know?" Lee argued.

She glared at him icily before explaining. "I'm his daughter."

Beckendorf frowned. "You're a halfblood?"

"Does that surprise thee?" El retorted.

Will Solace didn't look convinced. "That still doesn't explain how you know something has happened to Apollo," he glanced at Micheal and Lee. "We're also children of Apollo, and we didn't sense anything."

El hesitated. "I had a dream. Apollo was chained down. They were torturing him."

"Who is _they_?" Chiron asked calmly.

El sighed and shook her head sadly. "I wish I knew."

The campers began arguing again, until a loud _crash _thundered over the chaos.

Standing in the doorway was the shriveled form of the oracle, her empty eye sockets glowing eerily. She spoke in a voice like sandpaper.

_Four shall embark to rescue the sun_

_But the journey will end in the death of one_

_In the city of wind will the sun god be found_

_His captor the one with the everpresent frown_

A wisp of green smoke wafted from her mouth, and she went stiff, just as if she had never come to life.

The campers were shocked and absolutely speechless. Chiron recovered first, breaking the silence. "It looks like we have a quest on our hands."

El stood. "I must go."

The second hunter, Fiona, stood next to her. "And I shall accompany her."

Chiron sighed. "That's two."

Katie Gardner's mind raced. She had dreamed of going on a quest since she was six years old, and now was her chance.

"I want to go. On the quest, I mean." she stuttered.

Travis could never figure out why, but he had always cared about Katie. He told himself it was just because she was so small and petite, and reminded him a little of Sophie. He cursed his protective instincts before saying, "Me too."

Chiron nodded. "Well, we have our four. You should get going as soon as possible, so I suggest you go pack."


	3. Goodbye

Travis shoved the last shirt into his duffel bag and zipped it up. He wasn't sure how he felt about the quest. His last one had resulted in many painful memories, and he wasn't exactly enthusiastic about making any more.

_But the journey will end in the death of one._

Travis couldn't help but wonder if it was him. He wasn't ready to die. Gods, he was only seventeen! He had his whole _life_ ahead of him.

He shook his head. He had to do this. There was no backing out now.

There was a sharp knock and Travis turned to see Connor leaning against the doorframe of the cabin..

"Almost done?"

Travis nodded. "Yeah. Just finishing up."

The air was thick with tension. There were so many things he wanted to say to Connor, but he just didn't know how to say them. He was caught off guard when Connor pulled him into a bone-crushing hug.

"Be careful, Travis."

"I will."

"Promise me."

"I promise."

Connor pulled away and glanced at the long white scar on Travis's arm. He winced at the thought of the drakon that had given Travis that awful reminder. The brothers had been ecstatic to go on their first quest two years ago, but it hadn't been all the fun they had thought it would be. They had both the emotional _and_ physical scars to prove it.

And now Travis was ready to put himself through it all again. Connor couldn't seem to understand why. He was often awaken in the middle of the night by Travis thrashing around violently on the mattress above him, murmuring frantic pleas in his sleep. He never asked Travis about his nightmares, and Travis never told him. They'd made a silent agreement that the subject was better off undiscussed.

A tear ran down Connor's cheek. He quickly wiped it away, but not before Travis saw it. "Connor..."

"I can't lose you, Travis."

"And you won't," Travis said firmly. Connor shook his head and stared at the floor. "Connor, look at me."

Connor reluctantly met his brother's gaze.

"I love you, okay? You're my little brother, and I will never leave you," Travis smiled. "You're stuck with me."

"I love you too," Connor smirked through tears. "And I'm only a year younger than you. You act like I'm a five-year-old or something."

Travis laughed and noticed a small figure peering shyly around the corner at them. "Speaking of fiver-year-olds..."

Sophie ran from her hiding spot and clung tightly to Travis's legs. "Please don't leave, Travis." she sobbed into his jeans.

Travis picked her up and she buried her face in his shirt. "Shhhh..." he whispered, rubbing small circles on her back. She leaned back and stared at him with those huge, blue eyes.

"Who's going to tell me bedttime stories?"

Travis smiled sadly. "I'm sure Connor wouldn't mind." Sophie nodded and sniffled. Travis wiped away her tears with his thumb.

"I love you, Travis."

A lump formed in Travis's throat. "I love you too, Sophie." He kissed her forehead and slowly handed her to Connor. He didn't want too. He wanted to hold her forever; never have to let her go.

He loved Sophie. She'd been brought to camp at only two years old, when her mother was killed in a car accident. Being head counselor, Travis had made her his responsibility. Sophie depended on him, and he depended on her.

The lump in his throat grew bigger and he fought back tears. He couldn't let Sophie see him cry. He hefted his duffel bag onto his shoulder, muttered a quick "goodbye" and hastily exited the cabin.


	4. Here We Go

"Good luck." Chiron told the four departing heroes. Travis nodded solemnly and ducked inside the van. Katie slid in next to him, followed by El and Fiona.

Argus started the engine and Travis watched out the window as Camp Halfblood slowly disappeared into the distance. He sighed dismally, as he remembered that he might never see it again.

Suddenly, Argus took a sharp turn and Travis's head struck the window hard. Katie snorted next to him.

"Ow..." he muttered, rubbing his head gingerly.

Katie rolled her eyes. "You're fine."

"What if I have a concussion?"

"As a daughter of Apollo, I can assure thee that thy does _not_ have a concussion." El interrupted.

"I could die any minute now thanks to you people and your unreliable disagnoses." Travis grumbled. He sighed dramatically and leaned back to try to get some sleep.

Katie and El laughed at his ridiculousness, and even Fiona cracked a smile.

About fifteen minutes later, the van came to a stop in the middle of Times Square.

Katie shook Travis awake. "Trav, we're here." He groaned and drowsily grabbed up his bag and followed the others out onto the sidewalk. They waved to Argus as he drove away. Travis had always wondered if it hurt the eyes on Argus's hands when he gripped the steering wheel. And what about the eyes on his butt? How could he sit down? Did Argus even _have _eyes on his butt?

Travis's thought were interrupted when Fiona cleared her throat.

"_In the city of wind will the sun god be found..." _she repeated. "Chicago. The city of wind."

"That's almost an 800 mile trip." El said. "We should take the next bus."

The group made their way to the closest bus stop. Katie dropped her bag on the ground and collapsed heavily on a bench. She yelped when a woman came out of nowhere and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"The apocalypse!" she screamed. "It's coming! We're all going to die!" She realeased Katie's shoulders and took off down the sidewalk, yelling warnings about the end of the world.

Katie sat on the bench, still frozen in shock. Behind her, Travis began to crack up.

"You should have seen your face!" he laughed. Katie glared at him.

"What was that about?" Fiona asked.

"The mortals are freaking out. They think the world is ending." Travis explained.

The four teens looked around and noticed their surroundings for the first time. Drunks stumbled aimlessly through the streets. A car had been driven through the glass of a store window. People were screaming and wailing frantically.

Fiona grimaced. "We'd better find Apollo soon, before too much damage is done."

A bus pulled up, and the four quickly boarded. Travis eyed the driver and passengers suspiciously, trying to decide if any could pose as a threat. He had learned on his first quest that you could never be too cautious. Monsters could disquise themselves very easily. After deciding that they all seemed fairly normal, he sat down next to Katie behind Fiona and El.

"Here Travis, would you like to sit next to the window? Because I can totally switch you spots." Katie teased.

He stuck his tongue out at her. "I think I've had enough damage done to my head today, thank you very much. But thanks for the offer."

Katie laughed. "Anytime."

She pulled a package of Warheads out of her backpack and popped one in her mouth. "Want one?" she asked Travis.

"Are they sour?"

"A little."

Travis shook his head. "I don't do sour."

"Oh c'mon! They aren't that bad." she lied, handing him a lemon one.

He slowly unwrapped it and placed it on his tongue. His eyes widened. Katie laughed at his disgusted expression.

Coughing, he spit it back out into the wrapper. "Not sour, huh?" he said sarcastically. Katie just laughed.

"Ew. Now my tongue is yellow." he complained, crossing his eyes to see his tongue.

"How horrible."

"Yeah, well yours is blue."

This time it was Katie who went cross-eyed. "Huh. I guess it is."

Travis quickly pulled out his phone and took a picture before she could protest.

"Hey!" Katie complained. She made a grab for his phone but he held it high out of her reach. "_Travis!_"

"_Katie!_" he mimicked.

Katie did her best puppy dog face. "Please delete it?"

"Oh c'mon! I like it." Travis told her, showing her the picture. Katie blushed at her cross-eyed, blue-tongued photo.

"Fine." Katie said miserably, crossing her arms over her chest. Travis grinned. He pressed a button and the phone returned to its home screen. The background was a picture of him and a little girl with bright blue eyes. The girl was laughing while Travis smiled down at her.

"Your sister?"

Travis nodded, his expression darkening. "Sophie."

"She has your eyes."

He smiled slightly.

"You miss her?"

"Yeah. A lot."

Katie was lost for words. She couldn't tell Travis that he'd see Sophie soon. He might not. She couldn't even assure him that he'd _ever_ see her again.

Instead, she grabbed his hand. The gesture didn't promise his survival on the quest. It didn't promise that everything would be okay. Because no matter what, it wouldn't; he and Katie both knew that.

But it did promise that he wasn't alone; that there was someone else to share his pain. And that was all Travis needed.

_**So did you like it?! Sorry it took me so long to get it done :/ . I just started high school (yay freshie) so things were kind of busy. I absolutely looovvveeeeddd everybody's reviews. They put a smile on my face :) . So thank you, ALL of you. You have been nothing but encouraging and it really makes a person feel good!**_


	5. Chapter 5

The doors opened and a cool breeze rushed up the aisle. Katie shivered. Travis noticed and wordlessly took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

"Thanks." she murmured, wrapping it tightly around herself. She was so tired. They had already switched buses five times, and were still not even halfway to Chicago. She glanced over at Travis. His head was falling forward slightly and his eyelids fluttered in sleep. Katie smiled. Boys were so cute when they slept. And man, his eyelashes were so long!

_It's not fair,_ she thought. _How guys always have these long, beautiful lashes and girls have to spend time piling on mascara._

Travis leaned forward too much and bumped his forehead on the seat in front of them, waking with a start and snapping his head back up. Katie laughed. He groaned and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

"Go back to sleep, Travis." Katie told him. He nodded wearily and laid his head on her shoulder. She leaned back and sighed.

The bus doors opened again and a tall man with a military haircut shuffled stiffly down the aisle. He locked eyes with Katie and sat a few seats in front of them. She noticed how peculiar his eyes were: one blue and the other brown. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something about him seemed suspicious.

She gently nudged Travis. He groaned and lifted his head. Katie nodded towards the strange man.

He followed her gaze and his eyes widened. "Shit."

"What?" she asked him worriedly.

"Percy's dealt with that guy before. He's a manticore. Goes by Dr. Thorn."

Katie's heart raced. A _manticore_? Sure, she'd been told the myths about a thousand times, but this was real. She'd trained for this moment for years. But the monsters they battled for practice at camp were usually easy to beat, and could be easily restrained if necessary, so there was no real danger.

Travis informed Fiona and El of their suspicions and the four sat in tense anticipation through the next few stops. Slowly, the bus became emptier as the time grew later. The last mortal stepped off the bus, and Dr. Thorn turned the face them, grinning menacingly, his bizarre eyes hungry for a fight.

"Hello, demigods." he hissed. Something shot out from behind him and whizzed past Katie's ear, the glass cracking as it pierced the window. She stared in horror at the poison-covered spine.

And then he began to change. His pale skin became reddish and furry, and his body transformed into the slender but muscular form of a lion. A long, red tail hovered behind him, threatening to shoot again.

In an instant, all four demigods had their weapons drawn. The monster lunged, claws extended and fangs bared. El, Fiona, and Katie rolled successfully out of the way, but the manticore's claws caught Travis's back and sliced through his skin. He clenched his teeth in pain and desperately made a swipe at the manticore's feet with his sword. The monster howled as the blade cut through his ankle. Katie bravely plunged her bronze knife into the creature's shoulder blade and he turned on her, growling ferociously. While he was distracted, Fiona sank an arrow into his rib cage.

"A hunter!" Dr. Thorn snarled angrily. He shot a spike at her and she ducked just in time.

El appeared behind the vile creature, a smug smile on her face. "Correction," she said, aiming her bow. "Two hunters."

With that, she let loose her arrow and it plunged into the monster's skull. His expression turned from anger to surprise, and he disintegrated into a cloud of yellow dust.

A grin broke out on Katie's face. They had done it! Their first monster! And no one had even got injur-

"Gods! Travis your bleeding!" Katie cried, kneeling next to him. The back of his shirt was soaked in blood, and he could barely stay concious.

Travis laughed weakly. "Yeah. It seems that way."

She fumbled through her backpack and pulled out a square of ambrosia. He took it gratefully and sighed in relief as his wounds healed.

"Can we rent a hotel for tonight? He should rest." Katie asked their companions. El agreed and Fiona nodded but mumbled something about men being weak.

They helped him up and exited the bus, awkwardly waving goodbye to the stunned bus driver who could only stare at them with his mouth agape.

About a half hour later, the group found a cheap hotel and rented a room for the night. It was small and had only two beds, but it was better than nothing.

El and Fiona went downstairs to the hotel lobby to see if they could find anything to eat, leaving Katie and Travis alone.

Katie helped him remove his shredded, blood-stained shirt. She found a washcloth in the bathroom and began wiping the dried blood from his back. The ambrosia had nearly healed his cuts, but the scars were still there.

"Thanks, Katie." Travis sighed.

She smiled. "No problem."

Her smile faded when she saw the long white scars down his arm and streaked across his chest. Travis saw that she noticed and quickly slipped his shirt back on.

"What did that to you?" Katie asked him seriously.

He avoided her stare and answered softly, "Drakon." He looked up and blue eyes met green. "I thought I was going to die."

Katie was overwhelmed with emotions. She had never realized how much Travis had been through. This was a new side of him she had never seen before. A tear rolled down her cheek and she wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly.

"I'm so sorry." she whispered into his chest.

"It was a long time ago. I'm all right now." he assured her.

That night Fiona had insisted that Katie shared a bed with Travis, turning up her nose at the thought of sleeping next to a boy. She and El took the other bed.

And by the way he tossed and turned in his sleep, muttering cries of panic and fear, Katie knew that Travis was not "all right", no matter how much he tried to convince himself that he was.


	6. Chapter 6

Katie gritted her teeth as the hot liquid splashed out of her cup and burned her hand. She quickly reached for a napkin and dabbed at her reddening skin. This time, she made sure she was careful picking up her steaming coffee and joined Fiona and El at a table.

"You seem tired." El observed.

Katie sighed. "Yeah, a little." However, she knew she had gotten more sleep than Travis. It wasn't until four in the morning that he had finally fallen into a peaceful, nightmareless sleep. She was going to wake him up for breakfast, but decided to let the poor guy sleep in.

El absentmindedly poked and stabbed her sausage with her fork, obviously deep in thought. Within about a minute, the piece of meat was completely mutilated, lying in pieces on her cheap, styrofoam plate.

"You, okay?" Fiona asked her worriedly.

El nodded. "Just...stressed."

"We'll find your dad." Katie assured her.

El laughed coldly. "I don't know why I even care. It's not like he's ever cared about me."

Katie understood that feeling. The feeling of being neglected. Forgotten. For years she despised her immortal mother, Demeter for the very same reasons.

Then she had realized that her mother _had_ in fact cared. Demeter had been watching over Katie since the day she was born, and Katie took comfort in the fact that her mother was watching over her at this very moment.

"Sometimes people care more than you think they do." Katie said.

El nodded but Katie could tell her "words of wisdom" had changed her mind about her dad.

Fiona rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "And sometimes you think someone cares more than they actually do." Katie caught the sadness in her voice, and looked at her curiously. Fiona stared down under the table at her feet, obviously not wanting to talk about it.

"We should check out and get going." El announced, breaking the silence.

Katie put together a plate for Travis to eat later and the trio went back up to the hotel room to gather their belongings. Travis was still passed out on the bed. Katie had to put a hand over her mouth to stop the "_aww_" that was about to escape from her lips. He was just so adorable; sprawled out on the mattress like a little kid. She really wished she didn't have to wake him up.

She gently flicked one of his curls. "Rise and shine, Travis." He slowly opened his eyes and stared at her with a confused expression, his mind still transitioning from dreams to reality.

He blinked a few times and then sat up, sighing wearily. His hair was a mess; loose, chocolate curls stuck out in all directions. Katie found the sight amusing, and failed to suppress a giggle.

"What?" Travis demanded.

"Your hair." she said smiling.

Travis blushed (which Katie found absolutely adorable) and quickly flattened his hair with his hands, much to Katie's disappointment. She kinda liked it messy.

"You hungry? I saved you some breakfast." Katie said, offering the him the plate.

Travis nodded enthusiastically and began stuffing his face with lukewarm pancakes.

"Fanks Ka-ee." he spoke through a mouthful.

Fiona glared at Travis. "Hurry up, _boy_!" she snarled, the last word dripping with poison. It had been almost four days now, and she still refused to use Travis's actual name.

Travis gave Katie a _'what the hell did I do?'_ look. She shrugged. Fiona was always somewhat crabby, but she was outright hateful to Travis. Neither he or Katie understood why. Fiona glared at him once more before hefting her backpack over her shoulder and leaving the room, slamming the door behind her.

"She's a good person, I promise. She's just...has a lot on her mind." El told them, before following her fellow huntress out the door.

...LINE BREAK...

Fiona took a deep breath and wrinkled her nose bitterly. The air carried the pungent odor of smoke and pollution; a smell she found repulsive and nauseating. She longed to be with her mistress, Artemis, goddess of the hunt. She wanted to be back in the wilderness alongside her fellow hunters, breathing in the crisp night air, the fresh scent of pine sharpening her senses. She longed to feel the silvery light of a full moon on her face. She wished for the chilling sensation she got at the _snap_ of her arrow as it left her bow and struck her target flawlessly.

But instead she was here, in this smog-filled, artificially lit city. Travelling with a boy. In her eyes, this trip couldn't get any worse.

She wasn't even sure _what_ city it they were in, but she didn't care. All she wanted was to get the hell out of it. But first they had to rescue Artemis's idiot, poetic twin brother, Apollo.

_Yay..._

El was busy observing Travis and Katie. She had watched them grow closer, day by day. In only a week, they had gone from mere aquaintances to the best of friends. El found it sweet, like being a bystander in a romantic movie. But it also brought back bitter memories, and she even found herself green with envy at times.

It had been a long day of walking, and Katie had grown weary. She was now draped over Travis's back, her head resting comfortably above his shoulder blade; her slackened arms circling his neck. His strong stature enabled him to carry the tiny girl with ease. A small smile surfaced on El's thin lips as she surveyed the precious scene. Then came the acrid feeling of jealousy that so stirred up her emotions. Anguish, longing, grief, regret, and heartbreak washed over her like a crashing wave, threatening to tear down the wall of stoicism and self-control she had so carefully built.

El noticed Fiona also stealing glances at the pair. While the hunter's face remained stony and impassive, her electric blue eyes flashed with emotion. El could almost hear her friend's heart breaking, torn apart by the pain of past memories.

Every hunter of Artemis had a story. A past. Once in their lifetime, before they made the decision to swear off the company of men, they had all known love.

_But love only ends in suffering..._

They tried so hard to forget; to focus on other, more important things; to keep their minds too busy to remember their previous lives. But the memories were always there, pushed to the back of their minds, but still lingering somewhere deep under their current thoughts. After all-

_You can't change the past._

Until something causes them to resurface. A scent. A sound. A word, or phrase. An object of their past. And then without warning the memories come flooding back in, rising up, despite the thick barriers that kept them down.

Katie and Travis were those triggers.

Every time he got that mischievous glint in his eyes when he teased her.

When she smiled up at him in admiration, as if he were the bravest, strongest person in the whole wide world.

When he wrapped his arms around her, gently and protectively, as if she were a fragile piece of glass he couldn't risk being broken.

When he lay with his head in her lap, while she wound his curls around her thin fingers.

Every embrace.

Every playful remark.

Every word exchanged.

Every touch.

Katie and Travis were hurting them, completely oblivious to the pain they were causing.

And every day the hunters hid behind a mask. They disguised themselves in composure, strength, and dignity. They maintained their fierce and steady reputations as huntresses.

But behind the act were two young girls, weak and falling apart. Desperate for some kind of peace of mind. Begging. Crying. Suffering.

But never did they crack. At all times they kept control. Their expressions remained firm and unemotional. And no one would have guessed...

That they were dying inside.

_**So what'd you think? Did you like it? Hate it? Either way, let me know!**_

_**Man, I don't know about you, but I got really into the whole El/Fiona part. I had always wished that Rick Riordan would take us deeper into the thoughts of the hunters, and how they feel about their past and mistakes and regrets and stuff.**_

_**I read a couple really good fanfictions from Thalia's perspective about her regrets about swearing off the company of men (Luke *cough* *cough*), and I guess I wanted to incorporate that into my story.**_

_**I guess I really admired the character Zoe, because my hunters (especially Fiona) are turning out a lot like her...hmmm...**_

_**Well, please tell me your thoughts! Review box is down there somewhere... ;)**_

_**Adios!**_


	7. Chapter 7

_"Where are we going?" Fiona whined._

_He grasped her hand tighter and continued to lead her through the darkness. "We're almost there."_

_She sighed and followed behind him, connected to him by their intertwined fingers. Pine needles brushed her face and arms, making her skin tingle._

_"Aaron..."_

_He guided her through two more pines before they emerged into a grassy clearing. "This is it."_

_Fiona took in the breathtaking scene before her; everything outlined in a silvery glow, a luminous full moon floating overhead._

_"It's beautiful."_

_He smiled and led her to the edge. They settled down into the soft grass, their feet dangling over the side._

_She could feel him watching her. Pretending not to notice, she swung her legs and stared down at her shoes._

_"You're beautiful." he whispered, his warm breath on her neck. _

_She blushed. "Aaron-"_

_"I meant it, Fiona." he said, reaching for her hand._

_She slowly met his gaze-his gorgeous, soulful, deep-blue eyes._

_"I love you."_

_And she believed him. Because those eyes-those gorgeous, soulful, deep-blue eyes..._

She hated Travis. She hated his soft, touseled curls. She hated his strong, muscular arms.

His broad shoulders.

His tan skin.

His gentle, comforting voice.

His humor.

But the thing she hated most of all,

were his

gorgeous,

soulful,

deep-blue

eyes.


	8. Chapter 8

"Where are we again?"

"Solon Springs, Wisconsin." El told him for about the hundreth time.

"Solon Springs," Travis repeated thoughtfully. "Huh. You know, the word "spring" reminds me of those nice, cool water pools you swim in during the summer. Or that lovely season that comes after winter. Not _this_!" He gestured toward their surroundings. Harsh winds whipped around the heavily falling snow, leaving a painful stinging sensation on their skin. The sleet had left their clothes nearly soaked through, and their shoes made squishing sounds with every step.

Not to mention that they were _freezing_ cold.

Katie's teeth chattered and she pulled her thin jacket tightly around her in an unavailing effort to conserve what little body heat she had left.

"You okay?" Travis asked her worriedly, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her to his side.

She managed a stiff nod and pressed closer to his pleasantly warm body. He chuckled. "Cold much?"

"Just a little."

He shook his head gloomily. "I always thought Wisconsin was nice and cheesy."

"I guess we're in the wrong part of Wisconsin."

"Guess so. No cheese in sight."

Katie laughed. "Travis, you're ridiculous."

"Ridiculously cold."

"Agreed."

Katie didn't know what she would do without Travis. He was her rock-her protector. She'd never felt closer to anyone in her life. Katie had always been cautious, never able to trust anyone with her secrets or feelings. But now she realized that for the first time in her life, she completely and wholly trusted someone: the boy she never would have dreamed she could.

He was her best friend.

Katie's thoughts were interrupted when El suddenly collasped to the ground, pressed her hands tightly to her ears and screamed bloody murder.

Her friends were by her side in a flash. Fiona tried to pry El's hands away from her face, but she resisted and continued to wail.

"Stop! _Please_!" she begged, now sobbing uncontrollably. She let out another bloodcurdling scream and dug her fingernails deep into her scalp.

"No! Please don't hurt me! Please-" she cut herself off with another agonizing shriek.

Fiona finally managed to force El's hands away from her face and held them tightly. "Hey, everything's okay. I'm here. What's wrong? El, we don't know what you're talking about. Please El, stop screaming." She spoke calmly, but Katie could see the panic in her eyes.

"It's-" El tried. "They're-they're _hurting_ me Fiona! Please, _make it stop_!" she wrenched her arms free from Fiona's grasp, clapped her palms over her ears, and began wailing again.

It took almost an hour to calm her down. The trio managed to coax her into a nearby coffee shop to get out of the cold.

"Shhhh..." Katie whispered, gently stroking El's thin blonde hair. The screaming had finally ceased, but now El stared blankly off into space, her head lying on Katie's lap. Silent tears formed rivers down the hunter's cheeks, and she gripped Travis's hand so tightly that it hurt him, but he didn't pull away.

_She just needed someone to hold on to._

Fiona sat on a stool a few feet away, also staring blankly at the scene. She was dumbfounded. El had always been her mentor, her idol, the one she always looked up to. She had always been so strong and composed-so respected. She had been Fiona's inspiration.

But looking at El now, she didn't know what to think.

Her strong, courageous role model-suddenly driven to pure insanity.

And there was nothing Fiona could do.


	9. Chapter 9

He cringed as his captor raised the already blood-stained, fiery whip and brought it down sharply on his raw, singed back.

He clenched his teeth as fresh pain surged through his beaten body. Beads of hot sweat formed on his forehead as he struggled with his bonds. The ropes only chafed his wrists further. His body went limp with hopelessness and misery. The whip struck again, and he failed to supress a scream.

There was only one way he could ever escape.

_El._

Focus. He needed to focus. That was the only way he would be able to reach her. He needed to show her-at least a glimpse. It was the only way he could help.

Yes. Yes! He felt it! The connection...it was getting stronger.

_Eleyna._

He thought harder. He concentrated on her name. Each letter. _E-L-E-Y-N-A.. _He imagined the moment she was born; how overjoyed he was. He imagined her toothy, four-year-old smile. How proud he was when she had gotten the lead role in her school play when she was ten. Her first boyfriend. Her sixteenth birthday. The day she made the decision to follow Artemis.

How much he loved her.

And then she was there with him. He felt her prescence, melted into his body-his mind. He smiled.

And then the whips lashed out again.

...

El had never felt so much pain in her life. And the pain hadn't even been her own.

If it _had_ been her pain, at least it would have ended quickly. But her father was immortal. Death could not relieve his suffering like it could hers.

Apollo had temporarily fused their minds. He had made it possible for her to experience what he was experiencing, And she hadn't exactly appreciated it. The pain had been so bad, she was nearly driven to insanity.

But she was okay now.

In fact, she was better than okay.

Because now, she knew where he was.

...

Katie gazed solemnly at El's limp, exhausted body, curled up in a tight ball on the stiff pew. El had calmed down eventually, and had been so overwhelmed and energy-drained that she literally couldn't keep her eyes open. They had managed to find shelter in a small church, although they weren't the only ones planning to stay there. People of all kinds were already snoozing in the pews, bent over Bibles, and kneeling at the alters. She figured they were trying to do some desperate, last-minute redeeming before the "apocalypse" wiped them out.

"I'm gonna go take a shower." Travis announced. Katie nodded, although she wasn't sure if churches even had showers. Nonetheless, he stood and disappeared down a dimly lit hallway, leaving Katie alone. She sighed and saw the situation as a perfect opportunity for a nap. She glanced once more at El, curled up in a ball, and drifted off to sleep.

She groaned as she was roused from her sleep by strong arms gently lifting her off the pew. He sat down and she repositioned herself in his lap, curled up against his chest. His wet hair dripped down her neck, but she didn't mind. He made her feel happy and content, and again this wonderful feeling of joy and safety that she only felt around him welled up inside her.

"Go back to sleep." he whispered.

She gladly obliged.


End file.
